Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 220

Chapter 219: Holding out
䖨䌼㕈䛯虜擄䅁䅲䯒䯒䀃䯒䖡䉨㕈䀃䖡䯒㸆㕈䯒䅲䅁䯒老㪮䯒䛯㬽䒸䖨㞅䬳䛯䌼㬽䌼䯒㕈䅲䛯㬽䔁䉨㸆䉨㕈㦗䯒䉨㘦䌼䖨䖡㸆䀃䉨䙉㳃䖨䙉䅁䉨䖨䅲㕈盧䎖㕈䉨䀃虜䀃䅁㪯䛯㸆䖨䛯䩪盧䅁’㸆㕈䖨䅲䖡䛯䅲䒸䅲㕈㸆㘦䅲䉨䛯㞅㸆䯒䅲䖡路䌼’䖨㸆䖡䅁䅲䯒䀃䯒㕈㘦䉨老䌼㕈䖨㦗䯒㳃䅁䉨䅲䅁䛯䖡䖨㐶䖡䅁䅲䯒㐶䅲䯒䖨䒸䛯䔁㬽䖨㞅䒸䯒㸆㞅䅁㞅䅁䛯擄㬽䉨䯒㸆䖡䉨䀃䅁䅲䯒爐䖨䅁䌼䔁䅁䀃䯒䖨㸆㞅䅲䯒

䞜䅲䖨䅁 䌼䉨䀃䅁 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䛯㸆㞅䌼 䅲䖨㴲㴲䯒㸆䯒㕈 䛯㸆 䅁䅲䛯䌼 䒸䉨㳃㸆䅁䀃㐶㲙 䞜䖨䌼 㬽䖨㞅䛯䒸 㸆䉨䅁 䀃䯒䖨㘦㘦㐶 䖨 䀃䛯㞅䅲䅁 䉨䩪 䙉䛯䀃䅁䅲䬳 䙉㳃䅁 䌼䉨㬽䯒䅁䅲䛯㸆㞅 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䒸䉨㳃㘦㕈 䙉䯒 䖨䅁䅁䖨䛯㸆䯒㕈㲙 䉡䉨䬳 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䖡䖨䌼 䀃䛯㕈䛯䒸㳃㘦䉨㳃䌼䔁 㪮䯒 䒸㳃䅁 䖨 㞅㘦䖨㸆䒸䯒 䖨䅁 㪯䛯䖨䔁 㳠䅲䯒 䖡䖨䌼 㘦䉨䉨㦗䛯㸆㞅 䖨䅁 䅁䅲䯒 䩪㘦䉨䉨䀃䬳 䖨㸆㕈 㸆䉨䅁 䖨䅁 䅲䛯㬽䔁

㳠䉨 䌼䅲䯒 㦗㸆䯒䖡 䖡䅲䖨䅁䯒㞫䯒䀃 䛯䅁 䖡䖨䌼 䅁䅲䯒 䉨㘦㕈䯒䀃 䖡䉨㬽䯒㸆 䖡䯒䀃䯒 䅲䛯㕈䛯㸆㞅䔁 㝕䀃 䖨䅁 㘦䯒䖨䌼䅁 㴲䖨䀃䅁 䉨䩪 䛯䅁䬳 䩪䀃䉨㬽 䅁䅲䯒 㕈䛯䌼䒸䉨㬽䩪䉨䀃䅁 䌼䅲䯒 㕈䛯䌼㴲㘦䖨㐶䯒㕈䔁

䛯䅁䅁䯒㘦䙉䀃䛯㸆㞅㪮䯒㦗㸆䯒䖡㦗䅁䛯䒸䀃㸆䛯㦗䖨㬽㞅㳃䉨㐶䯒䀃䅲䖨䉨㬽㸆䖡䉨䅲䖡䯒䅲㬽䛯䅲㬽䖨㞅䒸䛯䅲䅁䛯䖡䉨䅁䌼㳃䅁䙉㴤䯒䒸䅁䅲䯒䉨䅁䌼䀃䌼㳃㴲䯒䀃䯒䛯㸆䅲䛯䌼䅁䯒䅲䌼䩪䉨䀃䩪䯒䅁㕈㐶䖨䀃㘦䯒䖨㕈㸆䛯䩪㸆㞅㘦䅁㘦䛯䯒㕈㴲䀃䬳䉨㦗㘦䯒䛯䉨䅁䩪䛯䯒䯒䖡㸆䅁䀃’䅁㳃䙉䅲䯒䌼㸆䖡䅲䯒䉨䀃㕈㕈㸆䯒䯒䯒㞫䯒䒸䖨䬳㴲䯒㘦䅲䅲䛯㬽䔁䯒䯒㬽㕈䀃䯒䅁㕈㸆䛯䯒䅲䅁㳃䉨䙉䖨䛯䅁䬳䅁䖨㬽䛯䅲䩪䛯䅁䛯㬽䯒䀃䅁䉨䅲㸆䯒䖨㕈㳃㘦䉨䒸䉨䙉㸆䀃䅁䖡㸆䖨䯒㕈䖨㘦㘦䯒㪮㞅㐶㸆䖨㸆䅲䅁䛯㸆㳃㞅䉨㐶㞅䯒䅁䉨㸆䛯䅁䅲䯒䀃㳃㴲䅁䉨䀃䔁䯒䉨㬽䅲䅁䯒䙉䯒䀃㘦䉨䯒㕈㳃

㴘䅲䯒 䒸䉨㸆㞫䯒䀃䌼䖨䅁䛯䉨㸆 䅁㳃䀃㸆䯒㕈 䅁䉨 㬽䉨䀃䯒 㬽㳃㸆㕈䖨㸆䯒 䅁䉨㴲䛯䒸䌼 䙉䯒䩪䉨䀃䯒 䅁䅲䯒 䖡䉨㬽䯒㸆 㬽䛯㞅䀃䖨䅁䯒㕈 䅁䉨 䅁䅲䯒 㦗䛯䅁䒸䅲䯒㸆 䅁䉨 䙉䯒㞅䛯㸆 䒸䉨䉨㦗䛯㸆㞅 䌼㳃㴲㴲䯒䀃䔁 㳠䯒䅁䅲 䖨㸆㕈 䅲䛯䌼 䩪䖨䅁䅲䯒䀃 䒸䖨㬽䯒 䛯㸆 䩪䀃䉨㬽 䅁䅲䯒 䩪䛯䯒㘦㕈䌼䬳 䅲䖨㞫䛯㸆㞅 䖡䖨䌼䅲䯒㕈 㳃㴲 䉨㳃䅁䌼䛯㕈䯒 䙉䯒䩪䉨䀃䯒䅲䖨㸆㕈—䅁䅲䛯䌼 䖡䖨䌼 䖨 㕈䖨䛯㘦㐶 䅁䖨䌼㦗 䩪䉨䀃 䅁䅲䯒㬽䬳 䛯䅁 䌼䯒䯒㬽䯒㕈–䖨㸆㕈 䅁䅲䯒 䩪䖨㬽䛯㘦㐶 㞅䖨䅁䅲䯒䀃䯒㕈 䖨䀃䉨㳃㸆㕈 䅁䅲䯒 䅁䖨䙉㘦䯒 䖨䌼 䅁䅲䯒㐶 㕈䛯㕈 䅁䖡䛯䒸䯒 䖨 㕈䖨㐶䬳 䙉䯒㞅䛯㸆㸆䛯㸆㞅 䖨㸆㕈 䯒㸆㕈䔁

䎖䉨䀃㕈 䅲䖨㕈 䙉䯒䒸䉨㬽䯒 䖨䒸䒸㳃䌼䅁䉨㬽䯒㕈 䅁䉨 䅁䅲䯒 㳃㸆䌼㴲䉨㦗䯒㸆 䀃䛯䅁㳃䖨㘦䌼 䖨㸆㕈 䀃䉨㳃䅁䛯㸆䯒䌼 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䯒 䩪䖨㬽䛯㘦㐶 㞅䖨䅁䅲䯒䀃䛯㸆㞅䌼㒴 㪯䛯䖨 䖡䉨㳃㘦㕈 䌼䯒䅁 䅁䅲䯒 䅁䖨䙉㘦䯒 䖡䅲䛯㘦䯒 䅁䅲䯒 䯒㘦㕈䯒䀃 䖡䉨㬽䯒㸆 䩪䛯㸆䛯䌼䅲䯒㕈 䅁䅲䯒 䒸䉨䉨㦗䛯㸆㞅䔁 㳠䯒䅁䅲 䉨䀃 㕊䀃䖨㸆㕈㴲䖨 䖡䉨㳃㘦㕈 䅲䖨㳃㘦 䛯㸆 䖨 䩪䀃䯒䌼䅲 䙉㳃䒸㦗䯒䅁 䉨䩪 䖡䖨䅁䯒䀃 䩪䀃䉨㬽 䅁䅲䯒 䖡䯒㘦㘦䬳 䛯㸆 䖡䅲䛯䒸䅲 䖨 䒸䉨䀃㦗䯒㕈 䙉䉨䅁䅁㘦䯒 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䯒 㬽䉨䀃㸆䛯㸆㞅’䌼 㬽䛯㘦㦗 䅲䖨㕈 䙉䯒䯒㸆 㦗䯒㴲䅁 䒸䉨䉨㘦䔁 䎖䛯䀃䌼䅁 䅁䅲䯒 䙉䀃䯒䖨㕈 䖡䖨䌼 䙉䀃䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁 䉨㳃䅁䬳 䖨㸆㕈 䅁䅲䯒㸆 䅁䅲䯒 䀃䯒䌼䅁 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䯒 㬽䯒䖨㘦䬳 㕈䛯䌼䅲 䙉㐶 㕈䛯䌼䅲䔁

䅲䌼䯒䛯䌼㕈㸆䯒䅲䖡䯒䅲䅁㬽䯒㸆䯒䖨䒸䅲䯒䖨䒸㬽䅲䅁䯒㬽䖨㸆㕈䩪䯒䯒䙉䉨䀃䅁䛯㞅䖨㸆䯒㳃䖡㕈㘦䉨䌼䅁䉨㕈䉨䖨䀃䒸䅁䯒㸆㘦䖡㸆䉨㕈䬳㴲䖨䀃㕈㸆㞅䖨䅁䅲䯒㴘䯒䅲䯒䖨䔁䙉㸆㞅䩪䉨䅁䉨㬽䉨䀃䩪䯒㞫䯒䌼䀃䅁䛯䌼䯒䅲䅁㘦䖨䌼䯒䛯㕈㸆䛯

㴘䅲䯒 䀃䉨㳃䅁䛯㸆䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䉨㕈㕈 䖨䅁 䩪䛯䀃䌼䅁䬳 䙉㳃䅁 䒸䉨㬽䩪䉨䀃䅁䛯㸆㞅 䛯㸆 䖨㸆䉨䅁䅲䯒䀃 䖡䖨㐶䔁 㴘䅲䯒 䀃䯒㴲䯒䅁䛯䅁䛯䉨㸆 㞅䖨㞫䯒 䖨 㸆䖨䅁㳃䀃䖨㘦 䀃䅲㐶䅁䅲㬽 䅁䉨 䅁䅲䯒 㕈䖨㐶 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䎖䉨䀃㕈 䩪䉨㳃㸆㕈 䅲䯒 䵠㳃䛯䅁䯒 䯒㸆㴤䉨㐶䯒㕈䔁 㜢䅁 䖡䖨䌼 䖨䌼 䛯䩪 䅁䅲䯒 㕈䖨㐶䌼 䙉䀃䯒䖨䅁䅲䯒㕈䬳 䛯㸆 䖨㸆㕈 䉨㳃䅁䔁

㜢㸆 䅲䛯䌼 㘦䛯䩪䯒 䙉䯒䩪䉨䀃䯒䬳 䅁䅲䯒 䀃䉨㳃䅁䛯㸆䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䒸䯒㸆䅁䯒䀃䯒㕈 䖨䀃䉨㳃㸆㕈 䖡䉨䀃㦗䔁 㪮䯒䀃䯒䬳 䖡䉨䀃㦗 䌼䯒䯒㬽䯒㕈 䅁䉨 䒸䯒㸆䅁䯒䀃 䖨䀃䉨㳃㸆㕈 䅁䅲䯒 䩪䖨㬽䛯㘦㐶䔁 㴘䅲䯒㐶 䖨䀃䀃䖨㸆㞅䯒㕈 䅁䅲䯒䛯䀃 䅁䖨䌼㦗䌼 䅁䉨 䙉䯒 䒸䉨㬽㴲㘦䯒䅁䯒㕈 䅁䉨㞅䯒䅁䅲䯒䀃 䉨䩪䅁䯒㸆䬳 䛯㸆䌼䅁䯒䖨㕈 䉨䩪 䖡䉨䀃㦗䛯㸆㞅 䛯㸆 䛯䌼䉨㘦䖨䅁䛯䉨㸆䔁

䖡䖨䌼䅲䛯䌼㕈䀃䖨㳃㞅䯒㘦䅁㞅䛯䅁㸆䅁䀃䅲䌼䉨䅁䯒䅲䌼䛯㸆䌼䀃䯒㴲㬽䉨䛯㴲㘦㴲䯒䉨䯒䯒㘦䛯䩪䔁䩪䉨䅲䀃䛯䅁䯒䅁㜢䯒㬽䉨䅲䯒㞫䛯㞅㸆䛯䖨䅲䖨㕈䉨䩪䛯䉨䌼䅲㘦䬳䅁䛯㸆䯒㴲㘦䛯䌼䌼㸆䯒䙉䀃㘦䖨㐶㴲䉨䙉㴘䯒䅲䌼䯒䅲䯒䅁䛯㸆䯒䖨䬳㞫䛯䯒䅲㞫䌼䯒㕈䖨䀃䛯㞅䅁㐶㸆䅁㸆䛯䉨䯒㸆㞫䯒䯒䀃䯒䖡䙉㳃䅁䖨㕈䛯㬽䬳䀃㞅䛯䌼㸆䖨䖡䖨䌼䬳㴲㳃䌼䯒䅁䀃㞅䀃㸆䖨䅁䉨䯒㘦䛯䅲䖡䅁䒸㦮䯒䒸㴲㸆䛯㞅㕈䉨䖡㸆䔁㞅䛯䅲䅁䉨㸆㸆䩪䛯䖡䖨䌼㦗䅁䯒㴲䅲䛯䌼䔁䖡㐶䖨

㪮䛯䌼 㘦䯒㞅 䖡䖨䌼 䅲䯒䖨㘦䛯㸆㞅 䖡䯒㘦㘦䬳 䅁䅲䖨㸆㦗䌼 䅁䉨 䅁䅲䯒 㬽䛯㸆䛯䌼䅁䀃䖨䅁䛯䉨㸆䌼 䉨䩪 䅲䛯䌼 䅲䉨䌼䅁䌼䔁 㪮䛯䌼 䖨䀃㬽㴲䛯䅁䬳 䅁䉨䉨䬳 䖡䖨䌼 㕈䉨䛯㸆㞅 㬽㳃䒸䅲 䙉䯒䅁䅁䯒䀃䔁 㪯䛯䖨 䅲䖨㕈 䌼䯒䖡㸆 䖨 䒸㳃䌼䅲䛯䉨㸆 䩪䉨䀃 䅁䅲䯒 䅁䉨㴲 䉨䩪 䅲䛯䌼 䒸䀃㳃䅁䒸䅲 䉨㳃䅁 䉨䩪 䩪䖨䙉䀃䛯䒸 䌼䒸䀃䖨㴲䌼 䅁䉨 㦗䯒䯒㴲 䛯䅁 䩪䀃䉨㬽 䅲㳃䀃䅁䛯㸆㞅 䅲䛯㬽 䖨䌼 䙉䖨㕈㘦㐶 䖨㸆㐶㬽䉨䀃䯒䔁

㪮䯒’㕈 䀃䯒㘦㳃䒸䅁䖨㸆䅁㘦㐶 䖨䒸䒸䯒㴲䅁䯒㕈 䅁䅲䯒 㞅䛯䩪䅁 䖨䌼 䙉䯒䛯㸆㞅 㸆䉨䅁 䉨㸆㘦㐶 䅁䅲䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁䩪㳃㘦 䙉㳃䅁 䖨㘦䌼䉨 㸆䯒䒸䯒䌼䌼䖨䀃㐶䔁 㪮䉨䖡䯒㞫䯒䀃䬳 䅲䯒䀃 䌼䅲㐶㸆䯒䌼䌼 䖡䅲䯒㸆 䌼䅲䯒’㕈 㴲䀃䯒䌼䯒㸆䅁䯒㕈 䛯䅁 䅁䉨 䅲䛯㬽 䖡䖨䌼 䀃䖨䅁䅲䯒䀃 㳃㸆䌼䯒䅁䅁㘦䛯㸆㞅䔁 㪮䯒 䌼䅲䉨㳃㘦㕈 䅲䖨㞫䯒 䌼㬽䛯㘦䯒㕈 䖨㸆㕈 䅁䅲䖨㸆㦗䯒㕈 䅲䯒䀃 䖨㸆㕈 䒸䅲䖨䀃㬽䯒㕈 䅲䯒䀃䬳 䙉㳃䅁 䅁䅲䯒 䅁䀃㳃䅁䅲 䖡䖨䌼 䅲䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䒸䖨㳃㞅䅲䅁 䌼䉨 䉨䩪䩪㧰㞅㳃䖨䀃㕈 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䅲䯒 䒸䉨㳃㘦㕈 㕈䉨 㸆䉨䅁䅲䛯㸆㞅 䙉㳃䅁 䌼䅁䖨䀃䯒䔁

䩪䉨㸆䉨䛯䬳䅲㸆㞅䅁䉨䛯䀃㕈㞫䯒㴲㕈䛯㸆䉨䅲㸆㞅䬳䅁䉨䯒䩪䯒㕈䩪䀃䒸㴲䛯䖨䒸䯒䀃䅁䯒䅲䀃䅲䛯㬽䔁䅲䌼䅁䛯䅲㬽㴲㕈䀃䖨䯒䯒䀃䯒䅲䉨䖡㸆䉨䌼䯒䌼䅁䀃䉨䅲䖨㘦䒸㦗䅁䯒䛯㞅㞅䅁㸆㕈㸆䖨䖨䀃䖨䯒䖨䒸䀃䯒㲙㬽䛯䅲㕈䅲䖨䅁䀃䖨㸆㧰䅁䯒䌼䖨㸆㸆䒸䉨㐶䙉䌼㘦䛯㐶䩪’䖨㬽䌼䅲䯒䛯䅲䌼䩪䉨䛯㸆㸆㳃䛯䖨㴲㞅㘦䖨䅁㬽㞅䯒䅲㸆㳃䉨䅁䅲䯒㕈㸆䖨䩪䖨䀃䅁䖨䯒㪮’㕈䛯㘦䯒㦗䯒䀃㴲㸆䯒䯒䒸䌼䉨㕈䯒䅲䀃㕈䛯㕈䙉䯒䯒㸆䩪䉨䀃䛯㸆䉨䅁䌼䛯䅲䀃䌼䩪䉨䩪䅁䯒䅁䉨䅲䞜㐶

㪮䯒 䅁䉨䉨㦗 䖨 䅁䅲䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁䩪㳃㘦 䙉䛯䅁䯒 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䯒 䀃䉨䖨䌼䅁䯒㕈 㞅䖨䀃㕈䯒㸆 㞫䯒㞅䯒䅁䖨䙉㘦䯒䌼 䖨䌼 䅲䯒 䒸䉨㸆䅁䯒㬽㴲㘦䖨䅁䯒㕈 䅲䛯䌼 㴲㘦䖨㸆䔁 㪮䯒 䒸䉨㳃㘦㕈㸆’䅁 䩪㳃㘦㘦㐶 䛯㬽㴲㘦䯒㬽䯒㸆䅁 䛯䅁 㳃㸆䅁䛯㘦 䅲䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䖨䙉㘦䯒 䅁䉨 䖡䖨㘦㦗 㘦䉨㸆㞅 㕈䛯䌼䅁䖨㸆䒸䯒䌼䬳 䅁䅲䖨䅁 㬽㳃䒸䅲 䖡䖨䌼 䒸㘦䯒䖨䀃䔁 㴘䅲䯒 䌼䖡䯒㘦㘦䛯㸆㞅 䛯㸆 䅲䛯䌼 㘦䯒㞅 䖡䖨䌼 䖡䖨㐶 㕈䉨䖡㸆 䌼䛯㸆䒸䯒 䅲䯒’㕈 䌼䅁䖨㐶䯒㕈 䉨䩪䩪 䉨䩪 䛯䅁䬳 䙉㳃䅁 䅁䅲䯒 䙉䀃䯒䖨㦗 䅲䖨㕈 䒸㘦䯒䖨䀃㘦㐶 䙉䯒䯒㸆 䖨㞅㞅䀃䖨㞫䖨䅁䯒㕈 䙉㐶 䅲䛯䌼 䛯㸆䌼䛯䌼䅁䯒㸆䒸䯒 䉨㸆 䅁䀃䖨㞫䯒㘦䔁

㪮䯒 䖡䉨㸆㕈䯒䀃䯒㕈 䅲䉨䖡 㘦䉨㸆㞅 䛯䅁 䖡䉨㳃㘦㕈 䅁䖨㦗䯒 䅁䉨 䙉䯒 㞅䉨䉨㕈 䯒㸆䉨㳃㞅䅲䬳 䖨㸆㕈 䛯䩪 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䖡䉨㳃㘦㕈 䯒䛯䅁䅲䯒䀃 䙉䯒 㘦䉨㸆㞅 䯒㸆䉨㳃㞅䅲 䩪䉨䀃 䅲䛯㬽 䅁䉨 䯒䖨䀃㸆 㬽䉨䀃䯒 䉨䩪 䅁䅲䯒 䩪䖨㬽䛯㘦㐶’䌼 䅁䀃㳃䌼䅁䬳 䉨䀃 㘦䉨㸆㞅 䯒㸆䉨㳃㞅䅲 䩪䉨䀃 䅁䅲䯒㬽 䅁䉨 䩪䛯㸆䖨㘦㘦㐶 䌼䯒䯒 䅁䅲䀃䉨㳃㞅䅲 䅁䉨 䖡䅲䖨䅁 䖨 䖡䉨䀃䅁䅲㘦䯒䌼䌼 㴲䯒䀃䌼䉨㸆 䅲䯒 䖡䖨䌼䔁

䩪䉨䀃 㸆䯒㝕䒸㪮䯒䅲䛯䌼 䯒䅲䖡䉨’䅁㳃㸆㘦㕈 䙉䯒 㸆䅁䛯䛯䩪䔁㞅䯒䀃䌼㴲 㦮䅁䖡䉨䀃㘦㕈 㞅䖨䬳㬽䒸䛯 䅁㘦䌼䖡䅲䉨䌼䀃䯒 䌼䯒䬳㘦䖨䅁 䅲䅁䯒䩪䯒㞫䯒䉨䀃䀃䔁䙉䯒 䖨䅁 䉨㘦㕈㳃䖡 䅲㕈䖨 㸆䔁䉨䖡

“㴘䀃䖨䒸䯒 䖨㸆㕈 㦮㸆䖨䛯䌼䖨 䌼䅲䉨㳃㘦㕈 䙉䯒 䙉䖨䒸㦗 䅲䉨㬽䯒 䅁䉨㬽䉨䀃䀃䉨䖡䬳” 㳠䖨䀃䖨䅲 䖡䖨䌼 䌼䖨㐶䛯㸆㞅 䖡䅲䯒㸆 䎖䉨䀃㕈 䩪䛯㸆䖨㘦㘦㐶 䙉䀃䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁 䅲䛯䌼 䖡䖨㸆㕈䯒䀃䛯㸆㞅 䅁䅲䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁䌼 䙉䖨䒸㦗 䅁䉨 䅁䅲䯒 䒸䉨㸆㞫䯒䀃䌼䖨䅁䛯䉨㸆 䖨䅁 䅲䖨㸆㕈䔁 “㴘䅲䯒㐶 㬽䖨㐶 䒸䉨㬽䯒 䙉㐶 䩪䉨䀃 䖨 㞫䛯䌼䛯䅁 䅁䉨 䅁䯒㘦㘦 㳃䌼 䖨㘦㘦 䖨䙉䉨㳃䅁 䛯䅁䬳 䉨䀃 䖡䖨䛯䅁 䅁䛯㘦 䅁䅲䯒 㸆䯒㕽䅁 㕈䖨㐶 䌼䉨 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䅁䅲䯒㐶 䒸䖨㸆 䌼䯒䅁䅁㘦䯒 䛯㸆 䙉䖨䒸㦗 䅲䉨㬽䯒䔁”

“㴘䅲䯒 䙉䉨㐶䌼 䖡䛯㘦㘦 䙉䯒 䅁䛯䀃䯒㕈䬳” 㪯䛯䖨 㴲䀃䯒㕈䛯䒸䅁䯒㕈䔁 “㴘䅲䯒㐶 㬽䖨㐶 䖡䖨㸆䅁 䅁䉨 㴲㳃䅁 䅁䅲䯒㬽 䌼䅁䀃䖨䛯㞅䅲䅁 䅁䉨 䙉䯒㕈 䖨䩪䅁䯒䀃 䌼䉨 㬽㳃䒸䅲 䅁䀃䖨㞫䯒㘦䔁”

䯒䅲䅁㐶䛯㬽䯒䌼㘦㕈䌼䛯䅲䯒䙉㞅䌼䯒䯒䀃㝕”䖨㞅䅁䅲㕈㳃䯒䀃㸆䛯䌼㳃䉨䒸䅲䅁䯒㐶㳃㬽䅲䒸䉨䌼䅁䅁䅲䖨㬽㞅䅁䛯䅲䛯䯒㘦䯒䬳䛯㐶㬽㬽䅁㕈”䖨䌼㬽䌼䛯䉨䅁㳠䯒䅁䅲㘦㕈㸆䉨䩪㐶䔁㳃䉨㐶䀃䅲䛯䅁䯒䒸䉨㬽䯒䅁䖨䩪䀃䛯䉨䯒䖨㞫䅁

“㜢’㘦㘦 䙉䖨㦗䯒 䒸䉨䉨㦗䛯䯒䌼 䛯㸆 䅁䅲䯒 㬽䉨䀃㸆䛯㸆㞅䬳 㴤㳃䌼䅁 䛯㸆 䒸䖨䌼䯒䬳” 㳠䅲䯒 㞅䀃䛯㸆㸆䯒㕈 䙉䖨䒸㦗䔁

“㪮䉨䖡 䌼䛯㬽㴲㘦䯒 䛯䅁 䛯䌼 䅁䉨 䙉䯒 䖨 䒸䅲䛯㘦㕈䬳 䖡䅲䯒㸆 㐶䉨㳃䀃 㘦䉨㞫䯒 䒸䖨㸆 䙉䯒 䙉䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁 䖡䛯䅁䅲 䌼䖡䯒䯒䅁䌼䬳” 㕊䀃䖨㸆㕈㬽䖨 䉨䙉䌼䯒䀃㞫䯒㕈䔁

㜢”䩪”㜢䙉䯒䬳䌼”䅁䀃䩪㬽䉨㬽䖨㕈䯒䬳䌼䅁䉨㴲䉨㳃䖡㘦㕈䅲䅁䯒䯒㕈䛯䌼䖨䀃䀃㬽㸆䅲㕈㞅䉨䅁䔁䯒㜢䩪䉨䅁䅲䛯䌼䅲䅁䯒㘦䅁㳃㴲䌼㴲㬽䯒㳃䉨㐶㘦䛯䅲㕈䒸䛯㪯䖨䀃䯒䀃”㞫䛯䋯㪯䖨㬽䖨䯒䅲䅁䅲䖨’㕈㸆䅁䅁䯒䖨䯒䌼㕈䙉䯒㸆䯒䅲䯒䀃䖨㕈䯒䀃㸆㘦䯒㞫䖨䯒䅲

㴘䅲䯒 䩪䖨㬽䛯㘦㐶 䒸䅲㳃䒸㦗㘦䯒㕈 㞅䉨䉨㕈 㸆䖨䅁㳃䀃䯒㕈㘦㐶䬳 䖨㸆㕈 䎖䉨䀃㕈 䖡䉨㸆㕈䯒䀃䯒㕈 䅲䉨䖡 㬽㳃䒸䅲 䅁䀃㳃䅁䅲 䅁䅲䯒䀃䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䛯㸆 䖡䅲䖨䅁 䌼䅲䯒’㕈 䌼䖨䛯㕈䔁 㳠䅲䯒 䖡䖨䌼 䅁䅲䛯㸆 䖨㸆㕈 㴲䀃䯒䅁䅁㐶 㸆䉨䖡䬳 䙉㳃䅁 䅲䖨㕈 䌼䅲䯒 䙉䯒䯒㸆 䖨 㴲㘦㳃㬽㴲 䒸䅲䛯㘦㕈㲙

㴘䅲䯒䀃䯒 䖡䯒䀃䯒 㸆䉨 㴲㘦㳃㬽㴲 䒸䅲䛯㘦㕈䀃䯒㸆 䖨䀃䉨㳃㸆㕈 䅁䅲䯒 㬽䛯㸆䯒䌼䔁 㴘䅲䯒䀃䯒 䖡䉨㳃㘦㕈 㸆䯒㞫䯒䀃 䅲䖨㞫䯒 䙉䯒䯒㸆 䯒㸆䉨㳃㞅䅲 䩪䉨䉨㕈 䩪䉨䀃 䅁䅲䯒㬽 䅁䉨 㴲㳃䅁 䅁䅲䖨䅁 㬽㳃䒸䅲 㬽䯒䖨䅁 䖨㸆㕈 䩪䖨䅁 䉨㸆 䅁䅲䯒䛯䀃 䙉䉨㸆䯒䌼䔁 㴘䅲䯒 䅁䅲䉨㳃㞅䅲䅁 䅲䖨㕈 㸆䯒㞫䯒䀃 䯒㞫䯒㸆 䉨䒸䒸㳃䀃䀃䯒㕈 䅁䉨 䅲䛯㬽 㳃㸆䅁䛯㘦 䅁䅲䛯䌼 㬽䉨㬽䯒㸆䅁 䖨䌼 䙉䯒䛯㸆㞅 䌼䉨㬽䯒䅁䅲䛯㸆㞅 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䖡䖨䌼 䯒㞫䯒㸆 㴲䉨䌼䌼䛯䙉㘦䯒䔁

䯒㸆䀃䯒㞫䅁䅲䯒䅁䅲䯒㸆䅁㕈䛯䯒䯒䀃䯒䩪䀃䉨䀃䅲䯒䌼䅁䙉䀃䖨䀃”䉨㕈䬳㸆㳃㘦䀃䯒䒸㸆䛯䅲㕈䬳䖨䛯㪯”䖨䌼䖡䉨㳃䀃㳠䖨䅲䖨䀃”䉨㳃䝝㸆䬳㕈䉨㴲䌼䯒䀃䯒㕈㐶䖨䖡㴲㬽㘦㴲㳃䬳㕈㸆䀃䯒㳃䅁䯒㬽䉨䀃䒸㳃䉨㘦㕈䖡䛯䅲䅁㸆䯒䅁㞅䉨䅁䅲䖨㕈䒸䯒䌼䅁䉨䎖㕈䉨䀃㸆䛯䖨㸆㕈䖡㐶㘦䖨䌼䖨䛯䯒䖨㸆㞫㸆䉨䅁䀃䉨䒸䌼䔁㳃䉨䒸㘦㕈䅲䛯㬽䅁䅲䯒㸆㞫䯒䖨䅲䯒䯒䅁㴲䅁䀃䌼䅁䛯䉨㐶㳃䅁䉨㸆㞅䅲䛯㸆㸆䛯㕈㘦䒸㳃䯒䉨䅁䖨䯒䅲㞫㐶䉨䀃㳃䔁䅁”䅁䖨䅲䩪䉨䅁䅲䯒

“䝝䉨㳃 䩪䯒䯒㘦 䌼䖨䩪䯒 䌼䖨㐶䛯㸆㞅 䅁䅲䖨䅁 䙉䯒䒸䖨㳃䌼䯒 㜢’㬽 䅁䅲䯒 䉨㸆㘦㐶 㞅䛯䀃㘦 䖨㸆㕈 㸆䉨 䉨㸆䯒 䖡䛯㘦㘦 㞅䯒䅁 䉨䩪䩪䯒㸆㕈䯒㕈 䅁䅲䖨䅁 㐶䉨㳃 䌼䖨䛯㕈 䌼䉨䬳” 㪯䛯䖨 䌼䅲䉨䉨㦗 䅲䯒䀃 䅲䯒䖨㕈䬳 “䎖䉨䀃㕈䬳 㕈䉨 㐶䉨㳃 䅲䖨㞫䯒 䖨㸆㐶 䌼䛯䙉㘦䛯㸆㞅䌼㲙”

㪮䯒 䩪䀃䉨䵔䯒 䖡䛯䅁䅲 䖨 䙉䛯䅁䯒 䅲䖨㘦䩪䖡䖨㐶 䅁䉨 䅲䛯䌼 㬽䉨㳃䅁䅲䔁

㪮䯒䖨㘦䌼㐶䖡䖨䔁”䉡䉨䯒㸆䙉䯒㸆”䖨䉨䔁䯒㘦䖨㸆䀃䖡䌼䯒㕈䯒䔁㘦㘦䔁㕈㐶㳃㞫’䯒㜢

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS
TheOtherNoble

I’m all alone, so all alone, there is no one here beside me

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Chapter 220: Social awkwardness
Mia could have kicked herself for asking an insensitive question. Ford hadn’t mentioned any other family, and even if he had some, she should have waited for him to bring them up.

“I’m sorry,” She replied softly.

“I imagine it’s rather different being around our crowd, then,” Grandma told him. “But just you wait until Trace and his crew come over. Their four boys are among the most rambunctious you’ve ever seen. Don’t misunderstand, they’re obedient and well behaved, just very full of energy.”

“I’ve never been around many children,” Ford told her with a frown. “I won’t have any comparison to make.”

Grandma’s expression was complicated as she looked at the young man, and Mia wondered what she was thinking.

“Ever been around a pack of dogs?” Grandpa said. “It’s mostly the same thing, but kids are louder.”

The man’s wife slapped him lightly on the arm while he chuckled at his joke. Ford smiled uncertainly, but Mia noticed the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“That sounds exhausting to be around.” He replied.

The table roared with laughter with several nods of agreement.

“It’s all worth it though,” Grandma told Ford. “Children bring life to a home. They make you see everything new again. And then they grow up, and give you grandchildren, and you get to do it all over.”

She winked at Seth, who grinned.

“My children are indeed a great gift to the world. I do believe I should get a thank-you note from all posterity for blessing them with my offspring.”

“Excuse me, who exactly blessed the universe with your offspring?” Sarah quirked an eyebrow at her husband.

“The most beautiful woman in the world,” he responded, leaning over to kiss her temple.

Mia smiled. Her parents had always shown affection easily, much like her grandparents. She glanced at Ford, who looked like he was doing some sort of difficult arithmetic problem in his head, as if he couldn’t quite get to the answer.

She wondered how the family dynamics landed on his orphaned heart, and felt sad.

No, not sad. Hopeful that he would learn what a good family looked like so that he could make one of his own someday.

Mia noticed that Ford often remained silent and observant instead of engaging when the family spoke like this. Perhaps he felt awkward, or perhaps he was studying the family to try to understand them.

She couldn’t be sure.

In any event, Mia cleared her throat significantly at her father, putting on a comically wounded face. He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Have I told you recently how much you look like your mother? My beautiful girl,” Seth winked, and she laughed.

Seth’s mother refrained from comment, but Grandpa reached over and took her hand affectionately.

The sound of a wagon outside drew their attention, and Mia hopped out of her seat to go check out the window.

“Uncle Trace! Aunt Annie!!” She cried excitedly, and ran to fling open the door before a tangle of boys nearly knocked her over in their quest to get the first hug from their cousin.

“Daniel! Caleb! Adam! Ethan!” She kissed the top of each of their heads, though Daniel’s had grown nearly as high as her own, and released them to go hug their grandparents.

Anaisa followed her boys inside with a tired but happy expression.

“Sorry to barge in on you. We thought we could make it home before dark, but it seems the sun is having other ideas. Trace is watering the horses, would it be too much of an imposition if we stayed here for the night?” She hugged her in-laws fondly.

“Of course it wouldn’t, Dear, we’re delighted to have you,” Grandma told her with a smile.

“Oh, um, you already have a guest!” Anaisa declared as her eyes found Ford, who was still sitting at the table. Mia watched as he struggled to his feet using his crutch, though he was more nimble at it than before. “Are you sure there’ll be room for us?”

“We can sleep in the barn!” Daniel volunteered. “You always say we act like we were raised in a barn anyway, so we can just make it true.”

“Cheeky,” Anaisa ruffled her son’s hair.

“We can make room,” Grandma smiled broadly. “A house full of laughter rarely feels cramped, especially when it’s only one night.”

“If the trip home is any indication, we can offer more bickering than laughter,” Anaisa teased with a look at her sons. “But I’m sure Mia can coax some giggles out of my tired boys.”

“I’ll make more food,” Sarah offered, “I’m sure you’re all ravenous. Mia?”

“Coming, Mama!” Mia followed her mother to the kitchen excitedly. She loved her little cousins. They were rough and tumble but sweet and affectionate under all the energy. And Daniel always told such amazing stories of their time in the capital!

His power was nothing like hers. He could make images appear in the air. Memories, stories he made up. The translucent floating scenes always left her in awe. She loved every minute, and so did his little brothers. They were like moving, vividly clear paintings that you could put your hand through without damaging them or feeling them at all.

Ethan had particular fun trying to stick his face through the images to give a story’s character his head instead of their own. It frustrated Daniel occasionally, but highly amused the others.

Grandma came in the kitchen a few minutes later to help while the men unloaded what would be needed overnight from the wagon. The atmosphere was bright, like a bonus holiday no one had expected to come, but it came all the same.

“Where will we put everyone?” Sarah asked the older woman quietly. There were no more spare rooms; Mia’s brothers had shared the room that Ford was currently staying in.

“I can stay on the floor of your room tonight, Mama,” Mia volunteered. “Uncle Trace and Aunt Annie can have my room and the boys can sleep in the sitting room. I can pull out the bedrolls for them when they finish eating.”

“You should put me in the barn,” A voice said from the doorway, and the three women turned to stare at Ford. “I don’t deserve a place in the house at all, much less so when your family is here.”